What You Can Learn From the First Round

By Scott Engel, The Game Day

Fantasy football players can get a good read on how to execute their own drafts by reviewing the results of expert league drafts. Here, we examine the first round of a major showcase expert league that recently held its draft at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

The Hall of Fantasy League is billed as the first-ever professional fantasy football league, with 12 teams in 12 cities. You can get more information on the league at thehofl.com and follow the HOFL on its app, where you can also play fantasy football games based on the league for free. 

This is a 12-team experts league in a one-point per reception league with four points for a TD pass. Starting lineups require 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 FLEX, 1 K, and one DST, and there are 18 roster spots.

We review the first round of this draft to tell you what can be learned from the results. We drafted out of the No. 12 spot as the Seattle Haze franchise. You will certainly enjoy the colorful team names that accompany the selections. We have included the full draft board and the draft broadcast.

Hall of Fantasy League First Round Review And Analysis

Which GM(s) had the best 2022 HOFL Draft?#HOFL #HOFV #FantasyFootball pic.twitter.com/eNDctXzFRy

— Hall Of Fantasy League (@TheHOFLeague) August 15, 2022

The First Half – The First Three Picks

1. Boston Barflies: Justin Jefferson
   • This pick did raise some eyebrows around the draft room, but upon further review, it should not be a total shock.
   • There is a bit of skepticism surrounding other top running backs. The Minnesota passing game could be even more prolific under new head coach Kevin O’Connell. This selection is a signal to be ready for anything in your own drafts. It can never be fully predicted what the teams ahead of you will actually decide on.
   • Jefferson will go No. 1 overall in some drafts. Those who prefer starting out with a WR who provides an excellent floor and some additional upside while avoiding the larger injury risks at the RB position will take this type of shot.

2. Ohio Goats: Jonathan Taylor
   • There has been much speculation that Taylor won’t quite match last year’s numbers because the Colts’ offense should be more balanced this season. But Taylor has been much less of an injury concern than some other top RBs dating back to his Wisconsin days, and he should still finish among the elite RBs in 2022.
3. New Jersey Boardwalkers: Dalvin Cook
   • In an amped-up Minnesota offense, Cook can be a major TD force. But there are also legitimate injury concerns about his shoulder, so drafting Alexander Mattison in the 11th round was an essential move.
   • There are no guarantees you will be able to land the same Minnesota combo in your own drafts.

The First Half – Picks Four Thru Six

4. Denver Mile Highs: Christian McCaffrey
   • The ultimate risk/reward pick, McCaffrey is being taken first or second overall now in some drafts. Denver did take Chuba Hubbard very late as injury insurance, but D’Onta Foreman could also be in the mix if McCaffrey misses more time this season.
5. New York Bodega Cats: Cooper Kupp
   • We will be watching Matthew Stafford closely and monitoring the status of his elbow. The Bodega Cats, who selected Kupp a few rounds later in 2021, were not drafting scared.
6. Chicago Hogmollies: Najee Harris
   • This may seem like a slightly bold move, especially with Austin Ekeler still available, but expert league drafters must be aggressive against other proven high-level competitors.
   • Harris is guaranteed to have a significant workload in an offense that may be better than many have projected. 

The Second Half – Picks Seven Thru Nine

7. Green Bay Winter Warriors: Austin Ekeler
   • This is terrific value for a player who should be drafted as soon as No. 2 overall. Ekeler is the best pure receiving RB in the AFC and finally became a consistent goal-line rushing option last season.
   • Even if his overall TD numbers fall off a bit, Ekeler seems like a surefire bet to finish among the very best fantasy RBs again in 2022.

8. Atlanta Hot Wings: Ja’Marr Chase
   • The defending HOFL champions made an impressive pick here. If you don’t feel comfortable drafting one of the top RBs and want a seemingly safer high-end selection at WR, it would be justifiable to take Chase in the top 5.
   • He is coming off a magnificent rookie season and can certainly approach the same type of production in 2022.

9. Philadelphia Powderkegs: Derrick Henry
   • Some fantasy analysts have concerns about him coming off a major injury and seeing heavy workloads in recent seasons, but all indications are that Henry is ready to go for the new season.
   • He should be very capable of still producing impressive totals after he had the offseason to recover more from his 2021 foot injury.

The Second Half – Picks Ten Thru Twelve

10. Los Angeles Sidekicks: Davante Adams
    • This is a solid, sensible pick. Adams is reunited with his Freson State teammate, Derek Carr, and will continue to perform at a high level.
    • When a fantasy team starts a draft with a WR late in the first round, there will still be an opportunity to take a high-quality RB early in the second round. Or, some savvy fantasy players might opt to start their roster builds with two top WRs.
    • The Sidekicks did have the chance to start out with an Adams/Stefon Diggs WR duo, which will be very tempting to others who have such an opportunity.

11. Las Vegas Pocket Kings: Joe Mixon
    • Hard to argue with this solid pick. Mixon finished fourth in total points in PPR leagues at RB last year, and he was seventh in points per game. He should approach similar production this season.
12. Seattle Haze (Our team): D’Andre Swift
    • Swift may not fall to the final spot of the 12th round in some drafts. Many fantasy analysts are viewing him as the next breakthrough RB who is a dual threat as a runner and pass-catcher.
    • We were able to double up on top RBs to start out, as Alvin Kamara was still available. There seems to be little concern about a suspension now. Kamara should push to be a top-5 fantasy RB in 2022.

Conclusion

There is no one set approach on how to execute your first two fantasy football picks. We simply took the best two available players on our board. Make sure you support The Game Day’s Seattle Haze this season by following them on the HOFL app.

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